Chapter 5: A Bittersweet Ending

I woke up to the sound of people talking. I recognised immediately, that the voices belong to the two nurses and the 15 year old girl.

The sun was already shining its way up. I must have overslept.

I think everyone must be thinking that I am such a busybody. What with the story of other patients over the 5 chapters. And now I am about to write about the conversation the nurses and the 15 year old girl have had.

Well, I do not remember everything. I just remember hearing a few things she mentioned: about her mother going on a holiday, her school friends, her boyfriend, being hungry, and I remember somewhere along the line she said, 'Am I going to get into trouble?"

It must be really late, that they were talking in a normal tone voice.

AND, (hehehe I'm trying not to sound busybody) I thought she must have eaten during the night when she was not supposed to for her operation that day.

I got up and tried to reach for my mobile. I couldn't see it. Then, Amar woke up too, realising that I was not next to him. So I carried Amar to the toilet to do whatever we had to do.

*Intermission*

Around 9am, Sister Nora the thumbs up nurse gave us her thumbs up and greeted us in her usual cheerful voice. She came close to us and said, she will get the doctor to review Amar as quickly as possible.

Surprise, surprise, Mr Amar came with Sister Nora later.

Sister Nora asked Mr Amar infront of us,
"Mom would like to know if Abdul could be discharged today."

Mr Amar said, "I think we will have to keep him for another night. We will review him again tomorrow to see if he fits to be discharged"

*Shock, shock, horror, horror.*

I tried to sound clever and tried to create a sentence that didn't sound stupid quickly,
"Can he be discharged today and I will take him to see you tomorrow, since he's only on oral antibiotics?"

[bring him tomorrow... Babah was due back for work on Tuesday. Plan: to call a postgrad to babysit Sarah, so that I could get a taxi to bring Amar for a further review] that was my brain thinking.

To me, Mr Amar was expressionless and spoke monotonously. Somehow, I read a 'sorry' message written all over his face.

He said, he will take a look at Amar's wound at his day clinic and he will decide if Amar could be discharged.

Fair enough.

To cut the VERY long story short (hehe), Sister Nora has called us to the treatment room. She wanted to change/remove Amar's bandage. (Honestly, I was not quite sure what she wanted to do)

She took off the sock like layer. Then, she tried to pull the net cotton cloth that covered the whole middle finger. But it was stuck. She suggested soaking the finger in water.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Of course I didn't say that to her. But it was just tormenting to think that Amar had to dip his poor finger in water again?? (It got worse the first time, remember?)

I followed what she said. Otherwise, how else was she going to remove the bandage? Half a minute later, the top layer came off. I was excited thinking that was what Sister Nora wanted to do.

But there was another thin layer covering the fingernail and the tip of the finger. It looked like it has merged with the fingernail. I assumed the net used to be pure white, but changed to dried blood colour.

The wound on the side of Amar's finger looked much better than the day before. But the fingernail area and the tip still looked gruesome.

Sister Nora asked me to continue soaking Amar's finger with water.

At first Amar was fine playing with the bowl of water. He removed his left hand and used his right hand when he felt the pain (I think). Sister Nora was busy. She was actually coming in and out of the treatment room. So it was entirely up to me how much and how long I wanted to soak Amar's finger.

It was tough to dip Amar's finger when I knew it must be really painful. He cried a little until he slept on my laps. I kept on dipping his finger and slowly pulled the thread of the layer.

Some came off. I was really doing it gently as not to wake him up.

Dipped his finger again, and pulling the thread. I thought I did great. Until I came to the top of the fingernail itself. I reminded myself to be extra careful on that part. I was scared if I accidentally detached the nail too. (Remember, the nail was removed and 'planted' again by the surgeons?)

Dr Amar came when I was managing the gruelling moment alone. He said hello and had a look at Amar's wound. He saw the small piece of bandage left on Amar's fingernail.

He said something like, Amar was asleep so he wouldn't feel it if he pulled the piece.

When he said that, I was cringing and looked away as not to let the doctor see my scrunching face. I turned back at the doctor and saw him washing his hand and realised that he has actually pulled the final piece in a split second!!!

[I felt a sudden anger building up in me. I didn't expect him to actually pull it. I thought he was just saying it. It must have hurt Amar badly!] But Amar didn't move a bit. -hmmm-

Sister Nora asked if I am working. Then there was a one minute executive summary of what I do and what I previously did. Then she asked about 'the husband'. I said Babah is an SHO followed by half a minute summary of where Babah works.

She said that I should have told them before, they could have placed Amar in the side (special) room. I said, it wouldn't make any difference, side or main ward. She was praising me highly bla bla bla.

But Mr Amar said, letting them know that Babah is a doctor means better communication (sometimes it's easier for doctors to speak in their language rather than our common language, get it?).

heh heh, me trying to be humble ey? Silly me.

(That was just an iklan, sorry)

Mr Amar said Amar's wound looked fine. So he let him go home!!! And asked to come again on Friday to change the bandage and next Thursday for a review with him and Mr Gaffy.

He also said that if Babah needed further explanation, Babah could ring up the hospital's switchboard and ask for Mr Al Omar. The switchboard will transfer direct to his mobile phone. He also asked some 'personal' questions. And wished Amar the best.

Mr Amar Al Omar left the treatment room. Sister Nora started to talk highly of Mr Amar. 'Kind, gentle, humble, good hearted, etc...'

Sister Nora prepared Amar's medication and I called Babah saying that we were finally free to go home!

*Intermission No.2*

Babah and Sarah were waiting for us in the play area. Sarah was playing 'making tea' as usual. We had a quick chat, and went back to our cubicle to get our belongings and ready to leave. Babah said if he could see Amar's 'notes' before we go.

So I told Sister Nora, and she called Mr Amar to see Babah personally. She said, it's only proper to do so if Mr Amar was not busy with any patient.

Not long after that, Mr Amar came to our cubicle and they were 'catching up' on things. They talked in doctor's language. Some numbers were mentioned. You can find some of the information in the previous post.

A good handshake, a get well soon wish to Amar, a 'personal' wish again and he left.

Babah helped me packing. We bid goodbye to the staff and after four and a half days in the ward, we set off to the real world again. I'm going to miss them and their endearing way of calling little Amar. Poppet, little baby, honey bunny, darling etc... And their sing song voice, and their happy faces. I don't know if Amar is going to miss them, but I am!

________________________
If you want a sweet ending, stop here. Don't read any further.

*Intermission No 1*

We returned to our cubicle fresh and looking forward to go home. I've noticed before going to the toilet that some items were scattered on the floor.

So, after coming back from the toilet, I started to tidy up a little bit. Others were still resting in their cubicles, alone or with their relatives.

I felt funny that my 'backpack' was facing the wrong way round. The left and right hand side curtains were slightly ajar. I started to feel a little bit 'angry' at the night duty nurses for checking on us at night but didn't bother to draw the curtain back. I started to have flashbacks of the night before. I remember hearing very well 'a nurse' drawing the middle curtain of our cubicle. It was quite rough and loud sound of the curtain hooks being forced to move on the curtain railing.

Amar was secured in the cot. I searched for my K750 Sony Ericsson. The charger was still in the socket, but with no phone. I searched under the sheet, under the bed, under the mattress, under the pillow, behind the curtains. In my bag, on the tv shelf, on Amar's bed. Under the cot's mattress. I couldn't find it anywhere.

My precious mobile phooonnneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee......

I couldn't be mistaken. I remembered so well, I charged it and placed it under the sheets of my bed before going to bed. I was dead sure!

But I re-searched under the sheets, under the bed, the lot! You know, just in case I've missed a spot.

Nope, nowhere to be found.

[Ok, here's the thing, no phone. No small change. How do I call Babah? Nasib baik bukan Babah's W800 Sony Ericsson yang hilang. It couldn't be one of the patients, most of them were in cast. Their relatives? They look decent enough to be nicking people's phone. The 15 year old girl was alone last night. So was the 6 year old infront of us. He couldn't move. Couldn't be him at all!

So could it be one of the nurses? The old one or the squeeky shoes one?

Somehow, I need to call Babah. But I don't have small change. I just have to go to the nurses and tell them about the missing phone and to borrow 20p to call Babah. But I just couldn't meet them in the eyes while thinking it was one of them who took my phone?

Oh this is a hassle and difficult!] That was my thoughts at that moment.

So there I was carrying Amar, infront of the nurses' office.

"Hi... This is embarrassing, but I think I've lost my phone and I don't have money to call my husband..." I haven't finished speaking. Both nurses jumped at the same time trying to reach their phones and said in synchronized, "Call security"

I was so shocked, all I needed was only 20p. I don't need the security.

And I was surprised, they were contacting the security when it was one of them who took it? So I asked them in my squeaky voice just like the sound of the nurse's rubber sole shoes;

"Do we really have to go through the security? It's only a phone."

"Yes"

The older nurse was speaking to the security. While the younger one in the squeaky shoes said something like, we sort of know who might have taken your phone.

My mind was working hard, picturing the possible suspects.

I could really go into details of the conversation, but I'll try to summarise.

The younger nurse said, she found a young lad hiding in the play area at 5.45 am(!) She said, throughout the night she almost believed that she was seeing a ghost. And tried to get the older nurse to believe her. Until both of them carried out an investigation, and found that boy crouching behind a counter in the play area, where they rarely inspect especially at night. Obviously, no one was supposed to be playing during the night.

The boy was the 15 year old girl's friend (or boyfriend?) who came to visit yesterday afternoon, but he didn't actually leave the ward.

So that was why they were talking to the girl this morning.

I started to have flashbacks, Amar crying at night, hearing footsteps, feeling cold in the night, etc...

At least, Amar and I were not hurt. Syukur.

I was free to use the office's phone. So I dialled up home number, but Babah was probably still sleeping. He didn't answer. I looked at the clock, it was still 6.45am.

The nurse has also said that they have contacted the police, and they will go to the boy's house.


*Intermission No.2*

The news about my missing phone spread quickly like a wind. Every nurse came to say sorry. Some gave a lecture of how shameful of the boy to be doing such thing. "Kids these days" So they said. Even Mr Amar expressed his concerns ('personal' questions) He asked if I have managed to contact Babah and barred the phone. Yes, I finally managed to contact Babah and he called Vodafone to bar my phone immediately.

A tall policeman came to take a statement from me. Honestly, I felt like an idiot to be reporting on a missing phone. So I told the policeman how I felt. He sat back and said that it was not stupid at all.

To him, it was an act of theft, hence a crime has occurred. Someone has taken my belonging when that person was not supposed to be in the area. It was considered as trespassing. And he ruled out that the incident as a burglary. (I assume more serious than theft)

I continued giving my statement. The policeman wrote on my behalf 3 pages long statement. I read through and signed on every sheet of the statement.

So there you go, I do not have a mobile phone anymore. (The police rang me at home the following day saying when they were just about to interview the suspect. The suspect has been arrested when they rang me. I do not know if the police has, or will find my phone. But I'm hoping for the best and also thankful that at least Amar was not hurt that night.)

I was relieved that we were finally going home. I thought it was going to be a happy ending. I tried to be OK about it, but honestly I was a little subdued.

When Mr Amar shook hands with Babah, he said he was sorry about the phone.

Babah replied, "It happens"

Mr Amar replied back, "No, that does not normally happen here."

It was a shame but I do believe things happen for a reason.